Sweater stretcher



y 2, 1956 B. c. FEATHERS SWEATER STRETCHER Filed July 15, 1954 B6551}!areal/161:5

ATTORNEYS United States Patent SWEATER STRETCHER Bessie C. Feathers,Kingsport, Tenn.

Application July 15, 1954, Serial No. 443,537

4 Claims. (Cl. 223-69) This invention relates to drying frames forsweaters and the like, and in particular, a frame for holding a sweaterin drying in which substantially all parts of the frame are adjustableso that the frame may be adjusted to hold sweaters of different sizes.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for retaining asweater in shape as a sweater dries after being washed or cleaned.

It is difficult to hang a sweater or garment of other knitted materialon a line or clothes drier without the garment losing its original shapeand also without the garment shrinking. With this thought in mind, thisinvention contemplates a drying frame patterned to conform to the shapeof a body on which a sweater is positioned in which the body, sleevesand lower waist band are formed to correspond with the original shape ordesign of the sweater for which the frame is intended.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means foradjustably holding parts of a sweater frame in assembled relationwherein substantially all parts thereof are adjustable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sweaterdrying framehaving adjustable elements in which the adjusting parts are not subjectto rust or corrosion resulting from dampness of a wet sweater positionedthereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedsweater-drying frame in which substantially all the parts thereof areadjustable in which the frame is of a simple and economicalconstruction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionembodies a garment-drying frame having an arcuate upper bar with a hookextended therefrom, similar to a garment hanger, with adjustablesleeve-forming elements carried by the ends of the bar, with adjustablevertically disposed elements depending from the sleeve-forming elementsto receive the body portion of a garment and adjustable horizontallydisposed bars extended from inwardly extended ends of the verticallydisposed elements.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view illustrating the improvedadjustable sweater-drying stretcher.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, with theparts shown on an enlarged scale, illustrating a typical cross sectionthrough the adjustable elements of the frame.

Figure 3 is a detail showing a longitudinally disposed section taken online 3-3 of Figure 1 also illustrating the adjustable elements andshowing the device with the parts on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a detail similar to that shown in Figure 1 showing a sleeveportion of the frame with other parts omitted.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a longitudinal section, similar to thatshown in Figure 3, illustrating a modification wherein a rubber buttonfor maintaining the parts in adjusted position is replaced with a clip,the clip being retained in position with a rubber band and the partsbeing shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a cross section taken on line 66 of Figure 5 also showingthe clip with the band of elastic material for retaining the clip inposition.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts, the improved sweater-drying frame of this inventionincludes an arcuate bar 10 having a hook 11 extended upwardly therefrom,upper sleeve sections 12 and 13 carried by the ends of the bar 10, lowersleeve sections 14 and 15 adjustably connected to ends of the sections12 and 13, respectively, vertically disposed side bars 16 and 17slidably mounted in split tubular elements 18 and 19, horizontallydisposed sections 20 and 21 extended from the lower ends of inwardlyextended portions 22 and 23, respectively, of the elements 18 and 19 andbuttons 24 of rubber or other suitable resilient material adapted to beextended through openings in the elements for retaining the elements inadjusted positions.

The arcuate bar 10 is provided with spaced openings 25 and 26 extendedinwardly from the ends and the upper sleeve members 12 and 13 areprovided with split tubular sections 27 and 28, respectively, that areadapted to slide over the ends of the bar 10 and the ends of which areprovided with openings 29 and 30 that are positioned to register withthe openings 25 and 26 in the bar 10 to receive the shanks 31 of thebuttons 24. The ends of the bar 10 are arcuate in cross section, asillustrated in Figure 2, and spring inherent in the elements providesfrietion for retaining the elements in assembled relation. The buttons24, however, provide definite locating means for preventing accidentalseparation of the elements.

The upper sleeve members 12 and 13 are formed with arcuate sections 32and 33 which extend from the tubular sections 27 and 28, respectively,and the opposite ends of the elements 12 and 13, which are formed atsubstantially right angles to the elements, are provided with bars 34and 35 in which spaced openings 36 and 37, respectively, are provided.

The openings 36 and 37 are positioned to register with openings 38 and39 in split tubular sections 40 and 41 of the lower sleeve elements 14and 15 and the opposite ends of the elements 14 and 15 are provided withopenings 42 and 43 that are positioned to register with openings 44 and45, respectively, in arms 46 and 47 that are secured by rivets 48 to theupper ends of the side bars 16 and 17.

The side bars 16 and 17 are provided with spaced openings 49 and 50 thatare positioned to register with openings 51 and 52 in the upper ends ofthe split tubular elements 18 and 19.

The lower ends of the elements 18 and 19 are pro vided with inwardlyextended sections 53 and 54 by which the elements are connected tovertically disposed bars 22 and 23, the lower end of the bar 22 beingprovided with a split tubular section 2!) having an opening 55 thereinand the section 23 having a horizontally disposed bar 21 having spacedopenings 56 therein extended from the lower end. The bar 21 is retainedin adjusted position in the element 20 by one of the buttons 24, whichare formed of rubber or other suitable resilient material.

In the typical cross section, shown in Figure 2, shank 31 of the button24 extends through an opening 52 in the face of the split tubularelement 19 and also through an opening, such as one of the openings 50,in the bar 17. The tubular element 19 includes a face in which theopenings 52 are provided, end sections 57 and 58 and a back formed withflanges 59 and 60 the edges of which are provided with inwardly extendedbeads 61 and 62.

With this arrangement ofparts, shanks 31 of the buttons 24 are insertedin the openings and with the buttons pressed into place the parts willremain in assembled relation-.duringthe drying process ofthe sweatenIn-the design illustrated. in Figures 5 and-6,- the button 24 isreplaced with a latching clip 63having-a handle 64 and a finger 65 and,as illustrated in Figure 5, the clip is retainedvin positionon one ofthe split tubular elements with a band 66-of elastic material. The band.rctains the clip in position wherein the-finger 65 is adapted to extendthrough an opening 67 'in'a split-tubular element 68-and an opening-69ina tongue-or arcuate bar 70 similar-toone of the bars, suehas the-bar 17.Bythismeans the parts are latched together. andma'y be released by;pressing, downwardly upon the; handle: 64 whereby the pin.65- isvwithdrawn from the'openings. By this means the bars having the spacedopenings therein, such as the bars'16, 17 and 70, are latchedortlocltedin adjusted posi tions, by one of: the elastic buttons 2.4i or by theclip-63' whichis resiliently mounted on the split tubular elementsWiththe partsdesigned and assembled in this manner, a sweater-stretchingframe is provided thatis adjustable to sweaters of different sizes andwith the parts formed of plastic or plated metal parts, the possibilityof rust due to placing wet materials thereon is substantiallyeliminated.

The arm and body elements are carried by an arcuate support bar withupper sleeve elements adjustably connected to ends of the bar and withlower sleeve elements adjustably connected to the upper sleeve elements.The lower sleeve elements are pivotally connected to adjustablevertically disposed body elements and-the lower ends of the bodyelements are adjustably connected with transversely disposed bracing orretaining elements.

With the elements of the frame adjusted to correspond with the shape andsize of a sweater, the sweater is placed thereon and the material of thefront and back is pinned together at the upper and lower endsto preventthe sweater pulling upwardly or downwardly on the frame in drying. Theends of the sleeve may also be pinned beyond the ends of the frameelements.

In Figure 4 the split tubular elements 28 and are extended to illustratethat the frame may be used for comparatively large garments.

It will be understood that;modifications,. within the scope of theappended claims, may be made; inthe design and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimedis:

1; A sweater-drying frame comprising an arcuate supportbar having spacedopenings in the; ends and a hook extended upwardly from the intermediateportion, the ends of said support bar being arcuate in-cross-section,upper sleeve bars having split tubular elements provided with a fiatface, side sections extending at'right angles tosaid face'at theopposite longitudinal edges thereof, flanges extending at right anglesto said side sections, and inwardly extending beads on the longitudinaledges of said flanges, said tubular elements being extended around theends of said arcuate support bar and means passing through the ends ofthe support bar and outwardly of said split tubular elements forsecuring the tubular elements tothe ends of said arcuate bar, said uppersleeve bars having depending ends that are arcuate in cross-section, andlower sleeve bars having split tubular elements provided with a flatface, side sections extending at right angles to said face at theopposite longitudinal edges thereof, flanges extending at right anglesto said side sections, and inwardly extending beads on the longitudinaledges of said flanges, said tubular elements being extended to receivethe depending ends of the upper sleeve bars, vertically disposed sidebars depending from and connected to.the lower. sleeve bars,horizontally disposed bars extendedinwardly on said ends of thevertically disposed body bars, and means passing through the ends ofsaid 4 horizontally disposed bars for adjustably connecting saidhorizontally disposed bars.

2. In a sweater stretcher,.the combination which comprises an arcuatesupport bar having spaced openings in the c 'ids and a hook extendedupwardly from the intermediate part, the ends of said support bar beingarcuate in cross section, upper sleeve bars having split tubularsections provided with a flat face, side sections extending at rightangles to said face. at the opposite longitudinal edges tlereof, flangesextending at right angles to said side sections, and inwardly extendingbeads on the longitudinal edges of saidflanges, said tubular elementsbeing extended over the ends of the support bar and having offsetportions with depending end-bars that are arcuate in cross-section,split tubular lower sleeve elements having a flat face, side sectionsextending at right angles to said face at the opposite longitudinaledges thereof, flanges extending at right angles to said sidesections,andinwardly extending-beads on the longitudinal edges of said flangesinto which the end bars of the upper sleeve bars extend, spacedvertically disposed side bars with-spacedopenings therein and havingarms on the upper ends that are arcuate in cross-section, extendedintoithe split tubular lower sleeve elements, split tubular; elementspositioned over the side bars and having inwardly offset lower ends thatare arcuate in crosssection, withhorizontally disposed sections extendedfrom said lower ends, and latching elements extending throughtheopenings in the split tubular elements and bars and outwardlythereof, for retaining the parts in adjusted positions.

3. In a sweater stretcher, the combination which comprisesan'arcuate-suppert bar having spaced openings in the. ends and a hookextended upwardly from the intermediate part, the ends of said supportbar being arcuate incross-section, upper sleeve bars having splittubular sectionsprovided with a flat face, side sections extending atright angles to said face at the opposite longitudinal edges thereof,flanges extending at right angles to said side sections, and inwardly:extending-beads onthe longitudinal-edges of said flanges, said tubularelements being extended over the ends of the support bar and havingoffset portions with depending end bars that are arcuate incross-section, split tubular lower sleeve elements having av flat face,side sections extending at right angles to said face at the oppositelongitudinal edges thereof, flanges extending at right angles to saidside sections, and inwardly extending beads onthe longitudinal edges ofsaid flanges into which the endbars of the upper sleeve. bars extend,spacedvertically disposedside bars with spaced openings therein. and.having arms on the upper ends that are arcuate inlcross-seetion,extended into the split tubular lower sleeve. elements, split tubularelements positioned over the side bars and having inwardly offset-lowerends that are arcuate in cross-section, with horizontally disposedsectionsextended from said lower ends, and latching elements extendingthrough the openings in the split tubular elements and bars andoutwardly thereof for retaining the parts in adjusted positions, thehorizontally disposed section of. one of said split tubular elements ofthe side bars including a split tubular element and the horizontallydisposedsection of the split tubular element of the other side barincluding a bar that is arcuate in crosssection, with spaced openingstherein slidably mounted in the split tubular element of the former sidebar.

4. In a sweater stretcher, the combination which comprises an arcuatesupport bar having spaced openings in the ends and a hook extendedupwardly from the intermediate part, upper sleevebars having split,tubular sections providedwith a flat face, side. sections extending atright angles to said face at right angles to said side sections, andinwardly extending beads on the longitudinal edges of said flanges, saidtubular elements being extended over the ends of the support bar andhaving offset portions with depending. end bars, split tubular lowersleeve elements-having a fiat face, side sections extending at rightangles to said face at the opposite longitudinal edges thereof, flangesextending at right angles to said side sections, inwardly extendingbeads on the longitudinal edges of said flanges into which the end barsof the upper sleeve bars extend, spaced vertically disposed side barswith spaced openings therein and having arms on the upper ends extendedinto the split tubular lower sleeve elements, split tubular elementspositioned over the side bars and having inwardly offset lower ends withhorizontally disposed sections extended from said lower ends, andlatching elements extending through the openings in the split tubularelements and bars for retaining the parts in adjusted positions, thehorizontally disposed section of one of said split tubular elements ofthe side bars including a References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,137,691 Landsman Nov. 22, 1938 2,307,256 BurwellJan. 5, 1943 2,484,807 Larson et a1 Oct. 18, 1949

